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By Peter H. Eeg, DVM, Owner Poolesville Veterinary Clinic, Poolesville, Maryland
The age at which your canine friend reaches adolescence is between
eight to twelve months. This is equivalent to a nine to twelve year old
human.
By this time your dog should have received all of his/her vaccinations
to provide adequate immunity against a number of diseases. These may
vary slightly depending on where you live, but should include
vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo, corona,
and rabies viruses. Also protection against lyme spirochete, and
bordetella bacteria should have been completed.
Monthly Heartworm/Anti-parasitic medication should also have been
initiated by this time in your dogs' life to further protect him/her
from these debilitating and potentially fatal diseases. These
preventative medications are available in both oral and topical forms.
A very new six-month injectable preventative Heartworm is also now just
becoming available from your veterinarian. You should always check with
your veterinarian before beginning any preventative therapy of this
type.
Your adolescent canine friend should also have been neutered or spayed
by this time in his/her development to prevent unwanted pregnancy and
reduce the less desirable behaviors associated with the onset of the
adult secondary sex characteristics. Key to this behavior modification
is the reduction in roaming by both sexes in search of a suitable mate.
Neutering and Spaying can also have a pronounced effect on reduction of
aggression and inappropriate inter-dog interactions.
The adolescent canine is still in an active growth phase during this
portion of his development to adulthood. It is very important that you
work with your veterinarian to maintain the optimal level and type of
nutrition for your specific breed of dog. In large and giant breed dogs
specially formulated food can minimize the potential for changes to the
growing joints and ligaments that could result in damage from stresses
incurred during play and exercise.
Certain inherited medical conditions can begin to surface during this
period of development. It is important to have a basic understanding
from your veterinarian of what your specific breed of dog may be
genetically susceptible to from its lineage.
The preventative measures that you institute now and the more knowledge
you are forearmed with about your specific breed of canine companion
can help to set the tone for your dog to have an active, healthy, and
long adult life.
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